PHENOMENA


Vol. 15 No.1 – April 2015 

7 

Three Dimensional Aspects of the Major Character 
in Oscar Wilde’s Vera 

I Wayan Mulyawan 
moelya01@gmail.com 
English Department, Udayana University 

Abstract 

 Drama is a portrait of a real life situation and the theme of a drama is closely related to daily 
life conditions experienced by the character. A Character is defined as an entity, human or animal, 
that is created by the author. A good character should be natural and lifelike, especialy in  
physiological, psychological and sociological dimensions known as three dimensional aspect of a 
character. These dimensions are very interesting to discuss since they are very important to 
determine the qualities of the characters in a drama. 

Physiologically, Vera is described as a beautiful young lady with beautiful eyes.  Sociologically, 
Vera is concluded as coming from an average family in Russia, living in a poor society, and living 
under tyranny. She has lived in an inn with her father before she saw her brother taken away to 
prison for seeking for liberty as a Nihilist. Psychologically, Vera is seen as a loving person though she 
does not put love as priority. She loves her country and her brother. She wants to revenge on the 
King for being a tyrant. She is a brave woman. It is seen from how she becomes a Nihilist to revenge 
for her brother and to end up the tyranny in her country. 

Keywords: physiological dimension, psychological dimension, and sociological dimension 

A Brief Note on Characters in Drama 

Literature is a part of human works in 
written forms through language. According to 
Wellek and Warren (1973:20-21), literature 
is anything in written form which contains 
idea and thoughts. Literature is a written 
product of human’s activity in expressing 
their ideas, thought and expression. Human 
creates literature for many purposes. One of 
those purposes is for aesthetic reasons and 
amusements. This purpose of creating 
literature then leads to the existence of 
literary works. Literary works are divided 
into three namely poetry, prose and drama. 
These three parts of literary works have their 
own characteristics. Drama has 
characteristics which differentiate it from the 
other two types of literary works. Drama 
consists of dialogues and is performed on 

stage. It is interesting since the audiences can 
directly enjoy the story that the writer wants 
to deliver through visualization. Therefore, it 
is not surprising that drama gets a lot of 
attention from those who love literary works 
but find difficulties in visualizing the idea in 
their minds. 

Similar to the other types of literary 
works, drama is usually considered as the 
reflection of the society. Many of famous 
dramas in the world have a closed relation to 
the condition of the society where and when 
it was created. Drama usually portraits a real 
life situation and the theme of a drama is 
usually closed to things that human beings 
face in daily life, such as love, war, and family.  
Those themes are arranged in dialogues and 
are played by the characters on stage. 
Character is defined as an entity, human or 

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I Wayan Mulyawan 

8 

animal, that is created by the author. A good 
character should be natural and lifelike. In 
building up a character in a drama, there are 
three dimensional aspects that usually 
contribute to the representations of the 
character. Those three dimensions of 
character are physiological, psychological and 
sociological dimensions. The physiological 
dimension of a character covers the physical 
aspects of the character such as sex, age, and 
physical appearance. The psychological 
dimension of a character deals with, among 
others, the ambition, behavior, and feeling of 
the character. Meanwhile, the sociological 
dimensions cover the contribution of society 
or environment surrounding the character. 
Those three dimensions of character help the 
author convey the qualities of the character 
so that the audience can visualize the 
character in their mind.  

Many dramas have been played and 
produced by great authors in this world. One 
of those great dramas is Vera written by a 
famous dramatist, Oscar Wilde, in the 19th 
century.  

Intrinsic Elements of Literary Works 

In building up literary works, there are 
two important components included, namely 
intrinsic and extrinsic elements. According to 
DiYanni (2001:44), intrinsic elements are the 
basic elements or characteristics of story. 
Intrinsic elements such as theme, plot, 
setting, style, character, and point of view, 
build the structure of literary works. Each 
intrinsic element has its own role. Intrinsic 
elements build the structure of a literary 
work so that it stands strong as the product 
of ideas and imagination. It gives the beauty 
of the literary work itself and brings the 
literary work to the higher value, not only as 
the product of literature without any 
purpose, meaning, and message. DiYanni 
(2001:50) states that there are seven basic 
elements or literature, they are: theme, plot, 
character, setting, point of view, language & 
style and irony & symbol.  

Character and Characterization 

A character (DiYanni, 2001: 55) is 
defined as the imaginary person that the 

writer creates. Characters are divided into 
two types, namely major character and minor 
character. Major character is the prominent 
figure of the play and minor character is the 
supporting figure of the play.   

Based on the changing of the character in 
the story, characters are divided into static 
and dynamic characters. A static character is 
a character that undergoes no change in the 
characteristic, personality, or outlook 
appearance from the beginning until the end 
of the story. A dynamic character is character 
that has permanent change, some or a lot, in 
characteristic, personality, or outlook 
appearance as the story goes by (DiYanni, 
2001: 60). 

Characters in literary works convey many 
aspects such as the physical appearance of 
the character, the quality of the character, 
and the social life. Those aspects can be seen 
through various methods. According to 
Kenney (1966:34), the methods of presenting 
character is called characterization. An 
author should have an ability not only to 
choose what characters take part in the story, 
but also to choose the method of presenting 
the characters in the story. Kenney (1966:34) 
divided characterization methods into five: 
discursive method, dramatic method, 
character on characters method, contextual 
method, and mixing method. 

a. Discursive method
Discursive method is the method in which
the author presents the character in the
story directly through narative
statements.

b. Dramatic method
Dramatic method is the method in which
the author lets the characters describe
themselves to the readers by their own
words and actions.

c. Character on character method
Character on character method is the
method to present one scaracter through
other character. It means that one
character describes or talks about another
character in the story.

d. Contextual method
Contextual method is the method of
presenting the character thruogh certain
description of their surrounding condition.



Vol. 15 No.1 – April 2015 

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e. Mixing method
Mixing method is the use of more than one
methods in presenting a character.

Three Dimensions of Character 

Egri Lajos (in Hamzah, 1985:107) states 
that a character has three dimensions as its 
fundamental structure. Those dimensions are 
physiology, sociology, and psychology. They 
are the elements which build the 
characterization in a literary work and they 
are bound to each other. Different 
combination of those factors will result in 
different characteristics of people. Roucek 
and Warren state, 

Personality is the organization of 
biological, psychological, and 
sociological factors which underline the 
individual’s behavior. It consists of 
habits, attitudes, and other 
characteristics, whatever their source, 
according to which one individual 
behaves differently from another. It is 
the organization of the behavior of the 
individual as it is developed in 
interaction with other people 
(1963:23). 

a. Physiological dimension
Physiological dimension is the description
of the physical aspects of a character, e.g.
appearance and general health. Physical
appearance may effect on the character’s
feeling regarding his/her surrounding, or
the feeling of being secure/insecure.
Physiological aspects of a character are
observed through sex, age, or physical
appearance such as the body shape,
whether or not a person is beautiful or
handsome, or the color of skin and hair.

b. Sociological dimension
Sociological dimension is related to the
description of the condition of character’s
environment. Sociological aspect can be
effectively analyzed through the social life
of the character,  e.g. the house, the job,
the education, and the social status.

c. Psychological dimension
The last dimension of character is
psychological dimension. Psychological
dimensions deals with the characteristics
of the character, e.g. behavior, emotion,
and thought.

Discussion on Vera Sabouroff in Vera 

1. The Physiological Dimension of Vera
Sabouroff

Physiological aspect of a character is 
observed through sex, age, physical 
appearance such as shape of body, whether 
or not a person is beautiful or handsome, and 
the color of skin and hair. 

Data 1 
PETER. Has Vera not come back yet, 

Michael? 
MICHAEL. No, father Peter, not yet; ‘tis a 

good three miles to the post office, and 
she has to milk the cows besides, and 
that dun one is a rare plague creature 
for a wench to handle. 

PETER. Why didn’t you go with her, you 
young fool? She’ll never love you unless 
you are always at her heels; women 
like to be bothered (365). 

Data 2 
PETER. Ay, ay, he was a merry lad. It is the 

girl that has the seriousness – she goes 
about as solemn as a priest for days at 
a time. 

MICHAEL. Vera is always thinking of others 
(365) 

Data 3 
VERA. They are hungry and tired. Let me 

go to them. 
ONE OF THE SOLDIERS. Let the wench be, 

if she pays us 
SERGEANT. Well, have your way. If the 

Colonel sees you, you may have to come 
with us, my pretty one (368). 

Data 4 
VERA. We were rehearsing a new tragedy. 
GENERAL. Your answer are too honest to 

be true. Come, let me see who you are. 
Take off those players’ masks. By St 
Nicholas, my beauty, if your face match 
your figure, you must be a choice 
morsel! Come, I say, pretty one; I would 
sooner see your face than those of all 
the others (378). 



I Wayan Mulyawan 

10 

Data 5 
CZAR. The Governor of Archangel shoot on 

his own country yard by a woman! I’m 
not safe here. I’m not safe anywhere, 
with that she-devil of the revolution, 
Vera Saburoff, here in Moscow. Prince 
Paul, is that woman still here.  

PRINCE PAUL. They tell me she was at the 
Grand Duke’s ball last night. I can 
hardly believe that; nut she certainly 
had intended to leave for Novgorod 
today, sire. The police were watching 
every train for her; but for some reason 
or other, she did not go. Some traitor 
must have warned her. But I shall 
catch her yet. A chase after a beautiful 
woman is always exciting (385). 

Data 6 
ALEXIS. I shall be there; but I shall return 

alone. Remember, not a word about my 
strolling players. 

GENERAL. Or your pretty gypsy, eh, 
prince” your pretty gypsy! I’ faith, I 
should like to see her before I go; she 
has such fine eyes through her mask. 
Well, good-night, your highness; good-
night (379). 

Data 7 
CZAR. You must hunt her down with 

bloodhounds, and when she is taken I 
shall hew her limb from limb. I shall 
stretch her on the raeck till her pale 
white body is twisted and curled like 
paper in the fire. 

PRINCE PAUL. Oh, we shall have another 
hunt immediately for her, sire! Prince 
Alexis will assist us, I am sure (386). 

From data 1 above, Vera’s sex is female 
since Michael uses nominative pronoun “she” 
in the conversation to refer to Vera. Besides, 
Peter also uses accusative and genitive 
pronouns “her” to refer to Vera. The use of 
pronoun “she” and “her” proves that Vera is a 
female. Vera is a young lady seen from the 
data 2. Peter says “the girl” and Michael 
responds that “Vera is…” It can be seen that 
“the girl” that is meant by Peter is Vera since 
Michael directly says something about Vera. 
Peter uses “the girl” as the substitution to 
refer to Vera. In data 3, the utterance uttered 
by the Sergeant implied the physiological 
dimensions of Vera. From that aspect, the 

reader can imagine how the character looks 
like. From the Sergeant utterance’s, it can be 
concluded that Vera is a beautiful woman. 
The way the sergeant addresses Vera as the 
pretty one implies that Vera is a beautiful 
woman.  

From data 4 and data 5 above, it is known 
that Vera Sabouroff is a beautiful woman. It 
can be seen from the General’s and Prince 
Paul’s opinion about Vera. Both of them said 
that she is a beautiful woman. In his dialogue 
with Vera in act one, The General says that 
she is beautiful and pretty.  In his dialogue 
with the Czar in act two, Prince Paul also says 
that she is a beautiful woman. From both 
opinions it can be concluded that Vera 
Sabouroff is a beautiful woman.   

From data 6, it is known that Vera is a 
beautiful woman with a pair of beautiful eyes. 
It is known from the General’s utterance 
when he sees Vera. Even though Vera is 
wearing a mask, the General can see her 
beautiful eyes. In addition, Vera has white 
pale skin, the common characteristic of 
Russian people. This is described through 
Czar’s utterance in data 7. 

2. The Sociological Dimension of Vera
Sabouroff

Sociological aspects can be effectively 
analyzed through the social life of the 
character, for instance the house, the job, and 
the education. 

Data 1 
PETER. No, no, no, boy; no man could live 

if he took his neighbor’s pack on his 
shoulders. (Enter Vera in peasant’s 
dress) Well, my girl, you’ve been long 
enough away – where is the letter? 

VERA. There is none today, father. 
PETER. I knew it. 
VERA. But there will be one, tomorrow, 

father (366). 

Data 2 
COLONEL. Bring me there. Sergeant post 

your picket outside, and see that these 
scoundrels do not communicate with 
anyone. No letter writing, you dogs, or 
you’ll be flogged for it. Now for the 
vension. (To Peter bowing before him) 



Vol. 15 No.1 – April 2015 

11 

Get out of the way, you fool! Who is 
that girl? (sees Vera) 

PETER. My daughter, your highness (367) 

Data 3 
VERA. Let me see your face. 
DMITRI. You will see nothing but suffering 

in it. They have tortured me. 
VERA. Oh, god! Dmitri! My brother! (368). 

In the conversations provided in data 1 
above, Vera uses the substitution of “father” 
to refer to Peter. In the data 2, when the 
colonel asks, “Who is that girl” to Peter, Peter 
answers that the girl is his daughter. The girl 
is Vera, because the colonel is looking at Vera 
when he asks the question. Both data show 
that Vera is Peter’s daughter. In data 3, the 
conversation between Vera and Dmitri shows 
that Vera is Dmitri’s sister. It is clearly seen 
when Vera exclaims “My brother!” to Dmitri.  

Data 4 
PETER. Has Vera not come back yet, 

Michael? 
MICHAEL. No, father Peter, not yet: ‘tis a 

good three miles to the post office and 
she has to milk the cows besides, and 
that dun one is rarely plague creature 
for a wench to handle (365). 

From the conversation between Peter 
and Michael above, we can see something 
about Vera; that she usually does some works 
related to farming such as milking a cow. 
From this conversation, we can also conclude 
that Vera lives in an inn. This conversation is 
taken from the prologue of the drama.   

3. The Psychological Dimension of Vera
Sabouroff

Psychological dimension deals with the 
characteristics of the character, i.e. behavior, 
emotions, and thoughts. 

Data 1 
VERA. Some evil has on him; he must be 

dead! Oh! Michael, I am so wretched 
about Dimitri. 

MICHAEL. Will you never love anyone but 
him, Vera? 

VERA. I don’t know; there is so much else 
to do in the world but love (p. 366). 

This conversation is taken from the 
prologue of the drama. It is between Vera and 
Michael. Vera’s first utterance shows her love 
to her brother Dimitri. She cares Dimitri so 
much that it makes her feel anxious when her 
brother did not send any letter. The 
conversation shows that Vera, 
psychologically, is a loving person. However, 
Vera does not put love in the first place. In 
her opinion, love is not the only important 
thing. There are many things that are more 
important than love. It shows that Vera is a 
woman with a vision and this makes her 
different from other women in the story.  

Data 2 
VERA. Oh, God! Dmitri! My brother! 
DMITRI. Hush! Vera; be calm. You must 

not let my father know; it would kill 
him. I thought I could free Russia. I 
heard men talk of liberty one night in a 
café. I had never heard the word 
before. It seemed to be a new god they 
spoke of. I joined them. It was there all 
the money went. Five months ago they 
seized us. They found me printing the 
paper. I am going to the mines for life. I 
could not write. I thought it would be 
better to let you think I was dead; for 
they are bringing me to a living tomb. 

VERA. You must escape, Dmitri. I will take 
your place. 

DMITRI. Impossible! You can only revenge 
us. 

VERA. I shall revenge you (368). 

Data 3 
VERA (who has remained motionless, 

pick up paper now from under her 
foot and reads). ‘Number 99, Rue 
Tchernavaya, Moscow. To strangle 
whatever nature is in me; neither to 
love nor to be loved; neither to pity nor 
to be pitied; neither to marry nor to be 
given in marriage, till the end is come.’ 
My brother, I shall keep the oath. 
(Kisses the paper) You shall be 
revenged (369). 

In data 2, Vera gets surprised to know 
that the man she is talking to is Dmitri. 
However, she keeps calm when Dmitri asks 
her so. Vera is able to control herself even 
though she gets very surprised by seeing her 
brother. When she begs Dmitri to replace 



I Wayan Mulyawan 

12 

him, Dmitri refuses. Then, Dmitri tells her 
something. Vera listens to Dmitri carefully 
and when Dmitri asks her to revenge on him, 
Vera agrees to do so. Her behaviour is 
planned since she has already listened to 
what Dmitri told her. In data 3, Vera says that 
she will revenge her brother. It is seen that 
she is planning something after reading the 
note given by Dmitri. 

Data 4 

VERA. Who are our masters? 
COLONEL. Young woman, these men are 

going to the mines for life for asking 
the same foolish question. 

VERA. Then they have been unjustly 
condemned (367). 

Data 5 
VERA. ‘Number 99, Rue Tchernaaya, 

Moscow. To strangle whatever nature 
is in me; neither to love nor to be loved; 
neither to pity nor to be pitied; neither 
to marry nor to be given in marriage, 
till the end is come.’ My brother, I shall 
keep the oath. You shall be revenged! 
(369). 

Data 6 
VERA. Ay, martial law. The last right to 

which the people clung has been taken 
from them. Without trial, without 
appeal, without accuser even, our 
brothers will be taken from their 
houses, shot in the streets like dogs, 
sent away to die in the now, to starve 
in the dungeon, to rot in the mine. Do 
you know what martial law means? It 
means the strangling of a whole 
nation. The streets will be filled with 
soldiers night and day; there will be 
sentinels at every door. No man dare 
walk abroad now but the spy or the 
traitor. Cooped up in the dens we hide 
in meeting by stealth, speaking with 
bated breath; what goo can we do now 
for Russia? (372). 

Data 7 
ALEXIS. It is true. Michael has told what 

he saw. I did pass that night in the 
Czar’s palace. Michael has spoken the 
truth. 

VERA. Stand back, I say; stand back! 
Alexis, I do not care. I trust you; you 
would not betray us; you would not sell 
the people for money. You are honest, 
true! Oh, say your are no spy! (p. 377) 

The conversations above are taken from 
the prologue and act one of the drama. The 
data 4 above shows the psychological 
dimension of Vera. Psychological dimension 
gives life to ambitions, frustrations, 
temperaments, attitudes, and complex of the 
character. Psychology studies such patterns 
such as behavior, emotions, and thoughts. 
The conversation above shows Vera’s thought 
about tyranny. Vera opposed tyranny in her 
country, Russia. Though she is a woman, she 
is not afraid of expressing her thoughts. It 
shows that Vera is a brave woman, belief in 
liberty.  

The data 5 is taken from the prologue of 
the drama. The utterance of Vera after 
reading the paper implies the psychological 
dimension of Vera. From Vera’s utterance, it 
can be considered that Vera has the character 
of faithful woman. It can be seen from Vera’s 
statement after reading the paper from his 
brother, Dimitri. Vera feels upset and wanted 
to revenge for her brother. This becomes the 
root of Vera’s ambition to oppose the tyranny 
and defeates the tyrant for liberty.  

The data 6 is taken from the act one of the 
drama. The utterance of Vera implies the 
psychological dimension of Vera. From Vera’s 
utterance, it can be seen that she never give 
up to fight against the tyranny. It can be seen 
from Vera’s statement to try everything that 
she can do to protect the people. She wants 
people around her to act something good for 
Russia to stop the pressure from the tyranny. 
Therefore, she encourages the people to react 
against the gloomy situation in Russia before 
it becomes worse and more innocent people 
die. From data 7, it is known that Vera is a 
person who trusts her friends. She is not easy 
to unbelieve to her friends. She always 
believes that her friends will not betray her. 
She believes that every person always has a 
good side. 

Data 9 
VERA. Oh, they are breaking in below! See! 

The bloody man behind you! (Czar 
turns round for an instant) Ah! (Vera 



Vol. 15 No.1 – April 2015 

13 

snatches dagger and flings it out of 
window) 

CONSPIRATOR (below): Long live the 
people! 

CZAR. What have you done! 
VERA. I have saved Russia. (dies) (406) 

From data 9 above, it can be seen that 
Vera is a patriot who loves her country and 
the people. She is even willing to do anything 
for her country and its people. From the 
conversation above, Vera is willing to die for 
Russia. She will do anything for Russia. 

Conclusion 

Physiologically, Vera is described as a 
young beautiful lady with beautiful eyes.  
Sociologically, Vera is concluded to come 
from an average family in Russia, in a poor 
society and lived under tyranny. She lives in 
an inn with her father before seeing her 
brother taken away to prison to seek liberty 
as Nihilist. Psychologically, Vera is seen as a 
loving person though she does not put love as 
priority. She loves her country and her 
brother. She wants to revenge the King for 
being a tyrant. She is a brave woman, and it is 
proven from how she becomes a Nihilist to 
revenge her brother and end up the tyranny 
in her country.  

References 

DiYanni, Robert. Literature : Reading Fiction, 
Poetry, Drama, and the Essay, Third 
Edition. New York : McGraw-Hill, Inc., 
1994. Print. 

DiYanni, Robert. Literature: Reading Poetry, 
Prose, and Drama, compact edition. 
Singapore: McGraw-Hill, 2001. Print. 

Hamzah, A. Ajib. Pengantar Bermain Drama. 
Bandung: CV Rosda, 1985. Print. 

Kennedy, X. J. Literature : an Introduction to 
Fiction, Poetry, and Drama, Fifth Edition. 
New York: Longman, 1991. Print. 

Kennedy, X. J. Literature: An Introduction to 
Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing. New 
York: Pearson Longman, 2007. Print. 

Kenney, William. How to Analyze Fiction. New 
York: Monarch Press, 1966. Print. 

Roucek, J. S., and R.L. Warren. Sociology: An 
Introduction. New Jersey: Little, Brown 
and Co., 1963. Print. 

Wellek, Rene and Austin Warren. Theory of 
Literature. Binding: Paperback, 1977. 
Print.